It's Hard to Find Good Help

Posted on Wed 24th Jun, 2020 @ 4:32am by Captain Torrog & Yuliette Marayan Dr.
Edited on on Wed 15th Jul, 2020 @ 1:16am

1,261 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Resolution
Location: The Zodiac
Timeline: MD 11, 1335

Previously, Captain Torrog descended to the depths of SB109 to track down business. Somehow, he's now having lunch with a beautiful woman! How do these two things work to his good?

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As soon as Torrog and his new friend were seated, a woman in shorts and a brief top came with a cloth to wipe the table and ask, "What can I getcha taday?"

"It all looks good, from what I saw on the way in. Do you have something called a burger?" Torrog asked hopefully.

The woman stared at him. "This is a Greek restaurant, bud. We have Greek food. You can see the choices on the wall behind me." She flicked her hand over her shoulder. "Ya want water?"

He glanced at his companion for a little guidance, privately thinking that no Ferengi woman would dare to speak to him so disrespectfully. The only thing that helped him keep his temper in check was that he wanted to do business down here. Not in this restaurant, though!

"Just a moment, please." Yuliette said politely to the waitress and then more quietly told Captain Tarrog, "I was wrong. This isn't one of those melded places. It's traditional. We can keep looking if you'd like to find a burger, or we can order here if you like. Gyro and falafel are pretty good too."

The Ferengi looked around to see that there were quite a few customers, which would indicate the place had decent food, even if it didn't turn out to be what he'd originally wanted. With a nod at the woman, he said, "Let's stay and try it out. If it's terrible, we don't ever have to come back."

"Try anything once, right?" Yuliette smiled. "I'll just have one of the lentil bowls with chicken."

Torrog's eyes flicked to the signs, all of which had pictures of the food. Probably, they were much more appetizing than the actual food. Looking at the waitress, he said, "Gyro looks like some kind of bread with meat and vegetables. I'll take that, preferably with some Earth animal in it."

"He wants beef, if you have it." Yuliette interjected. "It's not a burger exactly, but it's from the same beast. Can I have a hot tea as well as water?"

"Whatever," the waitress sighed as if she were long-suffering. "That'll take about ten minutes." She walked away without further comment.

Torrog laughed, "Well, she won't win a personality contest, but I guess if the food is okay, it doesn't matter. Now, tell me a little more about yourself, maybe starting with your name?"

Even if she were new here, the captain might be able to hire her. Her pretty humanoid face was likely to get a lot farther than his Ferengi ears, if experience meant anything. Of course, she couldn't go anywhere dangerous, but he wasn't really thinking that the trade he wanted to do would include much danger. He wasn't a fan of that himself. She seemed intelligent ... and perhaps a little hungry. Rule 214, he reminded himself. Never begin a negotiation on an empty stomach.

Yuliette folded her arms on the table. "You can call me Julie." She decided that was a bad idea as soon as she said it. It was too close to her actual name. But it would have been more suspicious to act like she didn't have one. And Torrog wasn't in need of an ID to check like the landlord and the rental shop, so maybe it would just end there. "It must be interesting being a captain, with all of the traveling. Isn't this kind of far out from Ferenginar? I haven't met many Ferengi in this sector."

It didn't escape the captain's notice that the woman had given him a name, but not followed up on his invitation to tell him anything about herself. He'd circle back to it momentarily, but maybe telling her a little of himself would relax her guard.

"Eh, maybe. I go where the business is, and for now, it's this starbase. My own rule of acquisition: Profit is where you find it. I think I'll find it here. What about you? What are you doing here?"

"Profit is where you find it? Isn't that kind of a truism? Like 'It's always in the last place you look.' or 'Had he not been dead, he'd still be alive.'?" she teased.

He laughed, "I suppose it could be seen that way, but there's just a shade of difference. You asked why I'm so far from home, and that's exactly the reason. I asked why you're here, and you're avoiding my question. I understand why you might want to, and I have no interest in invading your privacy, but in a job interview, you need to give the employer something."

The waitress was back with their drinks and managed to plunk them down without actually splashing anyone before she turned and walked away again. She is even less talkative than Julie, Torrog thought, glancing back at his lunch partner.

"I suppose. If I were at a job interview." She looked dubiously at him now. "Is that what this is? Because I thought you just wanted me to draw some maps and tell you what I know about the Zodiac."

"Originally, yes. Hoo-mans have a saying you might not know. Carpay Dime. It's some ancient language of theirs and it means to take advantage of an opportunity. As I was sitting here, I decided maybe you could be useful in my business here. I have to know a little something about you, though. Not even the Ferengi hire total strangers." He gave her another of his sharp-toothed grins. He hoped she didn't know the rules of acquisition, or he'd be at a huge disadvantage. Of course, she would get something out of being employed by him.

She picked up her hot tea with both hands and blew across the steaming surface. Her pockets were too light not even to hear him out. "What kind of job am I applying to?"

"Partly that's going to depend on your skills and knowledge. You seem like an intelligent woman, so I feel sure there's a place in my organization. There are many hoo-mans who carry a certain, ah, prejudice against the Ferengi. We had unfortunate dealings with them in the beginning, and their memories are long and hard to change. We do what we can," he shrugged, "but ...." He shrugged.

"It could be that you could represent my business interests here, for a base salary and perhaps a small percentage of the profit." Privately, he thought, a very small percentage. "Of course, if you aren't interested in a job, then we'll say no more about it, enjoy our lunch and you can tell me what you know about the Zodiac."

"I don't have any experience in sales," she admitted apologetically. "I'm still exploring my employment options in Brown Sector. Maybe once my situation is a little clearer and you become established here we can discuss it again."

"Okay. I'll be leaving in a few days, but I'll be back this way again sometime." Oh, well, you win some, you lose some. That was another hoo-man saying! Torrog wondered for a moment if he'd been spending too much time around that tricky species.

Their food arrived with the same attitude as their drinks, and as they settled in to enjoy it, the Ferengi said, "Tell me what you know about the Zodiac then."

 

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